by Dora Hiers
“Hey.” The one word rolled off his tongue. His friendly smile reached out and soothed the worry pinging around in her belly.
She took a deep breath and summoned the courage to face her firing with grace. So, she was losing her job, and her best friend today. Life had been worse. But, now she had Violet and the Lord. She’d never be truly alone again.
“Can you take a break?”
“Sure.” She licked her dry lips and pasted a smile to her face. She moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk but Camdon gestured toward the reception area.
“I’d rather go somewhere private.”
Oh, this couldn’t be good. “This is a public facility. There aren’t any private areas here.”
“Yeah. Right.” His lips scrunched to the side, and his brow puckered. “Where can we go where we won’t be interrupted?”
Her breath hitched. “Sounds serious.”
On leaden legs, she slogged toward the indoor racquetball courts. One of the courts was vacant at the moment. That would have to work.
They only made it to the hallway when he curled his fingers around her arm and tugged her to a stop. Serious green eyes, their nutmeg colored specks sparkling under the florescent lighting, regarded her. “Our friendship means a lot to me.”
Surely, he wasn’t going to fire her in the crowded hallway? “Thank you. I feel the same.” She swallowed. “We can talk in one of the racquetball courts, if you’d—”
“Excuse me.” An annoyed voice sounded from behind them. A man scooted by, jostling her with his elbow.
She stumbled against Camdon’s chest. His clean, spicy fragrance tickled her nose as much as the stiff starch from his crisp Carolina-blue cotton shirt.
“Take it somewhere else,” this from an amused passer-by.
“Come on.” This time she took Camdon’s hand, dragging him out of the mass of bodies swarming the area, and into the quieter hall leading to the racquetball area.
As quiet as it could be with the balls smacking hard against the walls, athletic shoes squeaking and sliding against the wood floors, and grunting as racquets collided with fast moving balls. A few loud groans, too, when players missed their mark.
Sierra stood on her tiptoes to peek into the vacant court. Clear. She turned the knob and pushed her shoulder against the heavy door, motioning for Camdon to follow. He shut the door behind him.
“So…” She folded arms across her chest, her frayed nerves making her teeth clack together.
“Cold?” The friction of Camdon’s hands, sliding the length of her arms in a brisk motion, warmed more than the chill on the outside. If only his touch could ease the fear building in her chest.
“Yes.” It was only a partial lie. Worry over losing her job froze her insides but his nearness warmed her. “I don’t know why they have to keep these courts below freezing.”
He shrugged out of his suit jacket and slipped it around her shoulders. “Better?”
She nodded. Now at least when he fired her, she’d be warm. But that was Camdon. Compassionate. Kind. Always looking out for her. She gulped. He was, wasn’t he? “Thanks.”
“You were upset when you left earlier.”
“Yeah.” Her eyes filled. She tried to focus on a black smudge against the freshly painted white wall. Sometimes she felt like that blotch. With her parents. With her unplanned pregnancy. Now this. Continually getting tossed around. God, remember that peace we talked about? I’m still not feeling it.
“Sierra…” Suddenly, Camdon’s giant palms cupped her cheeks, and he gently nudged her to face him. His gaze slid across her face, his expression, his tender touch telling her something without words, something important, but beyond her understanding.
With a gulp, she pulled out of his grasp. This was hard enough. She’d break down for sure if he kept touching her like that.
“Sierra, I’m sorry—”
“It’s okay, Camdon. I knew it was coming.”
“You did?” He tilted his head slightly. His forehead scrunched.
“Yeah. Remember I told you. Daniel warned me.”
His eyebrows furrowed together, separated only by twin vertical creases. His city lines, he called them.
Did she have to spell it out for him? “That my job was on the chopping block.”
His mouth formed an open circle, but the “oh” never made it out of his lips. “Sierra, I didn’t come about your job.”
“No?” Hope jabbed her in the chest. Did that mean she still had a job?
He shook his head. “No. I came to apologize.”
“Apologize?” Now she was the one confused.
“Not for the kisses—”
She couldn’t go there. Not right now. “Camdon, I can’t—”
“—or telling you how I felt.” His jaw clenched, and his expression revealed his pain.
She had hurt him. Her Camdon, her friend, the man who’d stood by her since…well, since forever. A desire to reach up and run her fingers along that firm jaw, to smooth out the city lines marring his forehead rippled through her.
“What I am sorry about is the distance it’s created between us. Not knowing whether it’s all right to call or text…” His voice faded, as if he was waiting for her to reassure him.
“I’m sorry, too.” If he was being transparent, so could she. “I missed talking to you last night.”
“I was…working.”
The poor guy probably had a mountain of paperwork waiting for him since returning from their trip.
“Sierra, you mean so much more to me. I know you’re not ready to hear that, but the last thing I wanted to do by sharing my feelings was to destroy our friendship. Can you forgive me?”
“Forgive you?” She blinked. His apology was so not what she had expected, this whole conversation was taking longer to process.
His earnest face and voice were enough to melt her worries into a puddle on the court. She may not have a job by the end of the day, but she hadn’t lost her best friend. Yet. “Of course, I forgive you.”
“Thank you.” Relief relaxed his shoulders. “I have a council meeting tonight, but would you and Violet like to join me for dinner tomorrow night?”
She hesitated. After she got sacked, she might not feel like—
“Mickey’s Pasta Place?” he drawled.
The rat. He knew that was her absolute favorite. “Sounds great.”
The smile transformed his face, the relief tangible and leaving behind something else. Something she couldn’t quite identify. “Thank you. I’ll pick you up around six thirty.”
“All right.”
He took a slight step back, but his fingers still curled around her arms, as if he was reluctant to leave. Was he going to kiss her again? Did she want him to? Intensity shimmered from his eyes, and the space allowed her a glimpse of the vulnerable Camdon, the one he reserved just for his family and for her. He’d always been an open book to her. Until last week. When he’d rocked her world.
“Where do we go from here?” Her whisper came out breathy. His nearness was wreaking havoc on her heart rate, his touch sending shivers of delight to race up and down her arms. The fresh, woodsy scent of his jacket embraced her. But not nearly as comforting as his arms.
Oh, dear Lord. I’ve fallen for my best friend!
Fire burned from his eyes, the amber specks taking over the green, but he held his distance. “Where do you want to go, Sierra?”
Did the man have rocks in those fancy black dress shoes? She edged closer—
The heavy door swung open and an amused voice blurted out. “Oops! Sorry! We thought this court was vacant.”
Camdon huffed a frustrated sigh, but the interruption brought her back to reality.
“No worries. We’re done.” Sierra slipped out of Camdon’s jacket and handed it back to him, cringing at her word choice when she saw the disappointment slump his shoulders and etch his face.
“Sorry, buddy.” The unrepentant interrupter grinned at Camdon.
>
Once outside in the hall, he squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded and watched him turn, his long stride eating up the distance to the exit. The door closed behind him, and she realized she’d been staring. She sighed and made her way back to the office area.
It was time to hunt down Daniel. This waiting was ridiculous. If he planned to fire her, she had a right to know. He wasn’t that hard to find. The man stood next to her cubicle, flipping through things on her desk.
Really? He couldn’t wait until after he fired her to snoop?
“Need to see me?” Her voice came out firm.
“Did I see Camdon here?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose he spilled the beans already?”
She held his gaze. “I don’t know what beans you’re referring to.”
“Oh. I just assumed that he’d told you.” Daniel gestured for her to sit down in front of her desk.
Firing her in her own cubicle for all the office staff to hear? That was pretty crummy. Couldn’t he at least fire her in his private office?
“Your friend saved your job.”
She didn’t like the insinuation in his tone. That they were more than friends. “I—” Wait a minute. Saved her job? “I’m sorry?”
“He found some calculation errors in the budget software. Enough to keep you working here. For the time being, anyway.”
With shaky fingers, she snatched the bottle of water from her desk and took a swig. She wasn’t losing her job today. Thank You, God!
“He even offered to give up his job to save yours, but you heard that part already earlier today.” Daniel wagged his head, scorn curling his lips. He heaved his body from the chair and angled over a shoulder as he gripped the partition wall. “Let’s just hope they’re done with the budget cuts or you both may be pounding the pavement looking for jobs.”
Was Daniel that unhappy with her? She’d heard the rumors that had spread shortly after he got the Director’s position. That she should have been the one promoted, even without a degree. Had he caught wind of them?
Daniel stalked to his office, his leather soles squeaking against the tile. Through his open door, she saw him scoop up his tablet. He splayed a palm against the glass exit door and tapped it loudly as he left for tonight’s council meeting.
Sierra sighed. He could be a bear to work for sometimes, but he left her alone for the most part.
She took another swig of water and looked outside. Darkness was starting to overtake the day.
Time to go home. All she wanted was to feel her daughter’s sweet arms around her neck. And, if she was truthful, Camdon’s. But that wasn’t happening tonight.
Camdon had saved her job, and she couldn’t even thank him properly since he was at the council meeting. Tomorrow night she’d have her chance.
18
“Nope. Can’t go tonight. Too much homework. Sorry, Mom. To be continued…” Violet waved a hand in the air behind her as she headed to her bedroom, her book bag slumping her shoulders.
“Me, either. Sorry, ladybug. You’re on your own.” Wilma covered the phone with a hand and then resumed her conversation, a flirty smile on her lips. Must be talking with Monty.
So it would be just her and Camdon tonight. No teenage daughter. No grandmother. No seniors to chaperone. Shouldn’t that worry her?
The doorbell rang. Sierra scooped up her purse and grabbed a sweater, a jolt of anticipation putting a bounce in her steps. She opened the door and caught Camdon straightening the house number. She grinned. “Busted.”
He stepped just inside the door and leaned close, his breath tickling her ear. “Remind me to bring my hammer next time I come over.”
Simple words, but they sent a shiver of delight up her arms. Was it because his hands lingered around her upper arms after helping her into the sweater? Or because his words implied that there would be a next time.
She gulped, knowing that she was treading a fine line, the precarious balance between being friends and something more teetering toward the something more.
“Is Violet ready?”
“She’s not coming. Too much homework.”
“Want me to go and beg?”
She studied him, appreciating the sturdiness of the man, the solid chin, the square, firm jaw smattered with early evening whiskers, those dimples that—
“Hey. What’s shaking, Camdon?” Violet bounced into the room, startling Sierra into awareness that her hand had reached out and was already halfway to his face.
She jerked her arm back to her side as heat crept up her neck.
“Hold that thought.” Camdon cleared his throat and draped an arm around her shoulders, his movement casual and friendly, but she felt it all the way to her toes. He focused on Violet. “Since when do you not want to go to Mickey’s Pasta Place?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to go, but I have a ton of homework along with a big test tomorrow. Math.” Violet rolled her eyes. “And you know how much I need to study for that.”
Camdon nodded sympathetically. “Want some help when we get back?”
“Totally! Never look a gift horse in the mouth.”
His dark eyebrows dipped in a mock frown. “Hmmm…I’m not sure if I like being called a horse, gift or no.”
Violet grinned and flashed a peace sign. “To be continued. Peace out.” As quickly as she entered the room, she left, the ragged bottoms of her jeans scuffling against the wood floor.
They walked to the car. He opened the door for her but stopped her from getting in with a hand to her elbow. “Thanks for not bailing on me.”
“Why would I do that?” Being this close, her lungs refused to function. She practically dropped into the seat.
“Thought maybe our kiss might have scared you off.” His eyebrows hiked and his lips curved in challenge before he closed the door.
She fell back against the leather seat and let out a long breath. When she inhaled, she took in him, earth and sky, rosemary and basil. He was right. But it wasn’t just the kiss that scared her. It was what it felt like. The passion welling up in her at his touch. How badly she craved his contact.
The drive was short. Once inside the restaurant, the hostess seated them in a quiet table toward the back and left them with menus.
“Going with your usual tonight?” he asked, looking over the menu.
They had so much history. She couldn’t imagine or remember a time when he hadn’t been a part of her life, and just the thought of losing his friendship quickened the pace of her heart and brought tears to her eyes. More than she could fathom. More than she could bear. She cleared her throat, smoothing the napkin across her lap, and aimed for a teasing tone. “And what would that be?”
“Grilled chicken salad. Which always amazes me because it’s a pasta place, and they make amazing chicken fettucine.” He grinned and hiked his chin, daring her to order something different.
She smiled and met his gaze. “Maybe I’ll go with the fettucine tonight.”
****
Did she know what her flirting was doing to him? Was it all just to get them back on familiar footing? Or had she—
The waiter came, and they relayed their orders.
“I’ll take the chicken fettucine.” Sierra arched an eyebrow and tilted her head, smiling at him.
Lord, give me strength!
They handed the waiter the menus, and he disappeared.
“I understand I have you to thank for not losing my job.” The boldness faded from her smile, and her voice came out soft, vulnerable.
So much for Operation Romance Sierra. He sighed. “I wish that you’d never had to worry about that in the first place.” Placing the disciplinary memo for Daniel’s insubordination on the City Manager’s desk, in advance of their meeting, had offered little satisfaction.
She flicked the napkin in her lap and focused there. “It’s not like I’d be the first one to lose my job during these tough times. And I’m quite sure th
e budget cuts aren’t over yet.”
“Maybe not.” But the Assistant Director’s position for Parks and Rec wouldn’t be on the line. Not if he had any say so. And he did.
“You helped me keep my dreams alive for our house.”
He’d do his best to make all her dreams come true. Didn’t she realize that?
“Daniel told me that you were willing to give up your job over mine. Is that true?”
“I’ll always be here for you, Sierra.” He didn’t answer her question directly, but that had to be enough for now.
She regarded him, her lips full and strawberry ripe. Kissable. Tempting. Her fragrance melded with the herbs and melted cheese. He wanted to fill his lungs with her.
He zoned out the clanging of silverware, the clinking of glasses, the laughter and boisterous voices of a hundred or so people surrounding them in the noisy restaurant. Right now. In this moment, it was just him and Sierra.
He brushed back the silky fringe that always covered half her face. “You’ve been hurt in the past. I get that, Sierra. I know it’ll take you time to heal, to move on. To realize that not all guys are like that, and I intend to prove it to you.” He cradle her cheek in his palm, surprised when her warm hand covered his.
“You already have.” A sheen glazed her eyes. A lump slid down her ivory throat.
“As long as it takes. I’ll be here.”
The waiter reappeared, brandishing a tray bearing two dishes of pasta. Crummy timing.
Sierra dropped her hand and took a swig of water.
Steam drifted up from the pasta dishes. He’d brought her here to eat, to regain her confidence in their friendship. “Pray with me?”
When she nodded, he reached for her hand, loving the feel of her slender fingers nestled in his. He uttered a heartfelt prayer and squeezed her hand.
“Hey, I saw where the Rec Department is hosting a daddy/daughter dance.” He scooped a forkful of pasta into his mouth.
